unning from a deep dark green, by easy gradations, to almost
an orange hue. The charming little daphne is the favorite button-hole
flower of the Collins Street beaux, backed by a tiny spray of
light-green fern. We saw some bouquets of cut-flowers in floral
establishments on Swanston Street, exhibiting a degree of artistic taste
in the arrangement which could not be excelled. The most delicate
branches of maiden's-hair fern were so intertwined among the various
colored flowers as to form a gauze-like veil, so that one seemed to
behold them through a transparent cloud of misty green. Such
combinations of tangible beauty cannot be equalled by the finest
paintings.

This capital of Victoria, as we have intimated, is a city of public
gardens. It is astonishing what an air of elegance, space, and
wholesomeness is imparted by them. Besides the Botanical Gardens there
are the Fitzroy Gardens, situated in the eastern suburb of the town,
which contain some seventy-five acres of ground beautifully laid out and
ornamented with a grand collection of trees, shrubs, and flowers,
especially in the department of ferns. Fountains, rocky basins, and
artificial waterfalls add picturesqueness to the place. The Zoological
Gardens are in the Royal Park, containing a really fine collection of
animals as well as a well-furnished aviary. We had as "fellow-passengers"
on board the "Zealandia" a pair of young California lions designed for
this collection, which arrived safely at their destination. These baby
lions were quite sea-sick on the long voyage, but were in fine condition
when we saw them in their new and spacious quarters at the Zoo-zoo.

Carlton Gardens are in the northern suburb, near the Parliament House;
here also stands near by, the Exhibition Building, erected at a cost of
over half a million dollars. It is now improved as a place for public
amusements of various sorts, and contains a well-stocked and
particularly well-arranged aquarium, somewhat after the style of that at
Brighton, England. There are five or six other parks or public gardens
more or less extensive, all charmingly laid out and beautified with
trees of native and foreign species, with miniature lakes, aquatic
plants and birds, and possessing picturesquely arranged fountains.
Albert Park, in the eastern suburb, contains a lake so large as to
render it available for sailing-boats and pleasant rowing-parties, for
which purpose it is daily improved by both sexes and ent